Excavating-bucket



W. M. VENABLE.

EXCAVATING BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I6 I918.

1,344,969. Patented June 29, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

W. M. VENABLE.

EXCAVATING BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16. 191B.

1 344,969. v Patented June 29, 1920 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR.

$00Ooooo n m '4 B3 W. M. VENABLE.

EXCAVATING BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 19m.

Patented June 29, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENI'OI.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. VENABLE, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLV NIA, Assreivoa T0 BLAW-KNOX COMPANY, A, CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.-

EXCAVATING-BUGKET.

Application filed February 16, 1918. Serial No. 217,663.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. VENABLE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating-Buckets, of which the 'followlng is a specification.

This invention relates to excavating buckets and particularly to that-class of buckets known as bull' wheel buckets wherein the bucket scoops or segments are operated by a bull wheel, which, when rotated by means of an operating cable, closes the scoops by winding up a closing chain attached to the corner bars, upon the hub portions of the wheel, thereby drawing the segment hinge toward the, upper ends of the corner bars. This invention has for its principal objects, the provision of a bucket of the above class, whereby a maxi mum closing force may be applied to the scoops to the greatest advantage, this object being obtained by offsettingthe bull wheel above the segment hinge, so that a' comparatively large bull wheel may be employed giving increased leverage for winding the closing chain upon the hub and so that the bucket jaws or segments may contact with the earth at the most efficient angle for excavating without any interference of the bull wheel with the material being excavated; the provision of an excavating bucket wherein the closing chain is secured to the bucket at a pointwhere the chain can employ maximum effort to the best advantage, in closing the scoop segments; the provision of an excavating bucket having a simplified head or head block construction connecting the corner ;-bars whereby they are joined by a single hinge, and whereby provision is made for securing the hold ing line and'the operating line to the bucket so that, under working conditions, the bucket segments w1ll maintain an even balance, thus increasing their efliciency; the

provision of an excavating bucket wherein a cable guard is constructed and mounted so as to thoroughly protect the. bull wheel against interference with external objects and prevent displacement of the cable, as well as serve as a reinforcement for the bucket segments and such other obj ects as may hereinafter appear. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wl1ere1n Flgurel 1s a side elevatlon of the bucket shown in closed position; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the bucket; and Fig. 3 is a broken side elevation of the bucket showing the position of the parts when the bucket is in extreme open position. Q

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 are scoop jaws or segments hinged together so that they may open and close, by hinge pins 3 passing through a pair of hinge castings 4t and 5 securely riveted to' the opposing sides of the segments 1 and 2, respectively.

The castings 5 are each provided with a bearing extension 6 having a shaft bearing 7 at its extreme end, in which is mounted a shaft 8 which extends across the bucket segment, joining the bearings 7, to which of a sheave portion provided with a groove 11 for receiving an operating cable formed by. the flanges 12 on either side of the sheave, and a hub 13 integral with the sheave which extends the entire distance between the bear ings 7 l A cable guard is securely fastened to the hinge castings 5 carried by the scoop seg ment 2. This guard consists of four guard yokes 1e radially disposed about the shaft 8, each yoke extending outward toward the periphery of the bull wheel sheave 10 and carrying a guard shoe 15, which is provided with inwardly directed flanges adapted to overlap the flanges 12 and thereby prevent displacement of the cable.

The guard, being securely fastened to the casting 5, will move with the segment 2, and

the guard yokes are positioned so that they will not interfere at any time with the operating cable as will be seen in Figs. land '3, showing the extreme positions of the scoop segments Referringto Fig. 3 it will be seen that when the segments are in their extreme open position, one of the guard yokes 14: pro ects with corner bars 16 and 17 respective1y, pivoted adjacent the outer portions of the segments by means of pivot pins 18. The upper'ends of the corner bars are-pivoted together at the right side of the vertical cen-' ter of the bucket by means of a pivot pin 19 which carries a clevis 20 in which is pivoted an equalizer bar 21 adapted to rock about the clevis pivot 22.

Closing chains 23 are secured to either end of the equalizer bar 21 and extend down ward and are secured to the hub 13 of the bull wheel. WVhen the bull wheel is rotated the closing chains 23 wind upon the hubs of the bull wheel thereby drawing the bull wheel and segment hinge 3 toward the upper ends of the corner bars, causing the segments to close. I

A head block 2 1 is securely fastened to the corner bars 16, in which is pivoted a guide sheave 25 which serves as a guide for the operating cable 26. This cable extends downward past the guide sheave 25 at a Y point to the right of the vertical center line of the bucket and is wound around upon the sheave 1O of the bull wheel and se cured thereto at the eye 26', and is for the purpose of rotating the bull wheel to operate the scoop segments. A holding cable 27 is secured to the pin 28 provided in the head block 24. This cable is provided for holding the bucket while it is being opened,

and lowering when open.

Referring to Figs.- 1 and 3, it will be seen that the axis of the bull wheel is offset from the axis of the bucket segment hinge, so that in either extreme position the bull wheel axis is above the axis of the bucket hinge 3. The object in thus offsetting the bull wheel from the hinge axis is to permit the use of bull wheel having a comparatively large diameter, so that the leverage in turning the bull wheel hubs may be correspondingly increased. Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that, while a bull wheel of large diameter is used, and the scoop segments are spread wide open with the seg' ment hinge 3 quite low, the bull wheel does not project below the edge of the scoop or interfere with the material being excavated. This would not be the case were the bull wheel mounted upon the segment hinge, as is the usual practice in this type of bucket.

1 In addition to the increased leverage gained by the large bull wheel, it is possible to open the scoop until the cutting edges thereof are almost vertically disposed with.

I relation to the material being excavated, and

because of the low initial position of the segment hin e 3 a substantially vertical sp ading action of maximum efficiency will be given to the initial movement of the scoop, instead of the usual less eflicient scraping action of the usual bull wheel bucket.

Heretofore, the usual bull wheel bucket employed a head block to which the corner bars of each segment were separately pivoted, necessitating two spaced pivot pins and bearings. This construction was necessary to serve as a strain equalizing medium to insure proper balance of the bucket when in open and closed positions. In order to simplify the head construction and stillmaintain proper balance of the bucket under all conditions, the head block 24'is secured permanently to the corner bars 16 and a single pivot 19 is provided for pivotally connectin the corner bars 16 with, the corner bars 1 thus eliminating one pivot. Referring to Fig. 1, showing the bucket in closed position and supported by the operating cable 26, it will be seen that the weight of the bull wheel is to the right of the verticalcenter line of the bucket and therefore the center of gravity of the bucket is to the right of the vertical center line. Theoperating cable 26 which at this time is supporting the bucket, it will be seen by referring to Fig. 1, is being held tothe right of the vertical center line of the bucket by the guide sheave 25 and consequently approximately over the center of gravity of the loaded bucket. The bucket will therefore occupy the vertical position illustrated.

When it is desired to open the bucket, the

bucket is first supported by the holding f cable 27, and slack paid out on the operating cable 26, thus permitting the bucket jaws to open to the position shown in Fig. 3. In this position the bull wheel is to the left of the vertical center line of the bucket and therefore the center of gravity is to the left.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the holding line 27 is secured to the head block to the left of the vertical center line of the bucket and approximately over the center of gravity of the bucket when in open position. Therefore the bucket will maintain even balance when supported or lowered in open position by the holding line 27.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the corner bar pivot 19. is to the right of the segment hinge 3 and the bull wheel shaft 8, V

and that the closing chains are connected with the corner bar pivot 19. In the usual type of bull wheel buckets the closing chains are secured to the head block directly above the segmenthinge, thereby. increasing the angle of pull of the closing chains from the vertical as the wheelhubs approach the point of fastening of the upper end of the chains, and thereby diminishing the efliciency of the closing force'at the final 'clos- 7 ing movements of the segments. 1 7

By placing the point of support of the closing chains to one side of the center of the segment hinge and the bull wheel shaft, the

' pull on the chain is substantially vertical as the final closing stage is reached, and therefore the efiiciency of the closing pull is at its maximum at all times.

The manipulation of the bucket is sub-' the material to be excavated, pulling of theoperating cable 26 causes the cable upon the bull wheel to unwind and thereby rotate the bull wheel clockwise. As the bull wheel winds the chain upon the hubs of the wheel the segment hinge is drawn toward the upper ends of the corner bars, causing the scoop segments to close. After the segments have closed, further drawing up of the operating cable 26 causes the bucket to be ele vated.

To dump the bucket, the weight of the bucket is first supported b the holding line 27 and slack paid out 011 t e operating cable 26, which permits the bull wheel to unwind down the closing chain and to thereby open the scoop segments. After the material has been dumped the bucket may then be lowered for another charge byv lowering the holding line 27.

It is obvious that man changes in the details may be made wlthout departing from thespirit of the invention and the invention is not limited to specific construction herein illustrated'and described.

What I claim is:

1. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a pair of scoop segments, a hinge pivot for joining the inner portions of the segments so that they may be opened and closed, corner bars secured to the outer portions of the segments and pivoted to gether adjacent their upper ends, and a bull wheel, connected to the corner bars by a flexible connection up which it is adapted to wind when rotated, and pivoted to one of the segments at a point above its inner portion and to one side of the vertical plane cutting the pivotal axis of the bucket segments. I 2. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a pair of scoop segments, a

hinge pivot for joining the segments so that they may be opened and closed, corner bars secured to the outer portions of the segments and pivoted together adjacent their upper ends, and a bull Wheel, connected to the corner bars by a flexible connection up which it is adapted to wind when rotated, and pivoted to one of the segments for movement relatively of the other segment in the opening and closing of the bucket, the extremes of such movement being located at points at opposite sides of the vertical plane cutting the pivotal axis of the bucket segments.

3. An excavating bucket comprising in I combination, a pair of scoop segments, a hinge pivot for joining the segments so that they may be opened and closed, corner bars secured to the outer portions of'the segments and pivoted together adjacent their upper ends, and a bull wheel, connected to the corner bars by a flexible connection up which it is adapted to wind when rotated,

pivoted to one of the segments so that its axis is T above the segment hinge whenthe segments are in either open or closed position. a m

4-; An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a pair of scoop segments, a hinge pivot for joining the segments so that they may be openedand closed, corner bars secured to the outer portions of thesegments and pivoted together adjacent their. upper ends, and a bull wheel, connected to the corner bars by a flexible connection up which it is adapted to wind when rotated,

pivoted to one of the segments'so that its axis is above and to one side of the segment hingewhen the segments are in open position., 7

5. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a pair of scoop segments, a hinge pivot for joining the segments so that they may be opened and closed, pivoted corner bars attached to the outer portions of the segments for supporting the segments, a bull 'wheel pivoted'to one of the scoop segments so that its axis is above the segment hinge when the segments are in either open or closed position, and to one side of the V hinge and corner bar pivots a flexible connection betweenthe bull wheel and the corner bars adapted to close the bucket when the bull wheel is rotated, and means for operating the bull wheel.

6. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a pair of scoop segments,' a hinge pivot for oining the segments so that they may be opened and closed, corner bars secured to the outer portions of the seg- 'ments and pivoted together adjacent their upper ends and to one side of the vertical plane cutting the hinge pivot, and a' bull wheel, connected to the corner bar pivot by a flexible connection, up .which it is adapted to wind when rotated, pivoted to one of the segments so that, when the segments are in closed position the axis of the bull wheel will lie on the side of the said plane occupied by the corner bar pivot.

7. An excavatingbucket comprising in combination, a pair of scoop segments, a hinge pivot for joining the segments so that they may be opened and closed, corner bars secured to the outer portions of the se ments and pivoted togetheradjacent thelr upper ends, a bull Wheel connected to the corner bars by a flexible connection up which the wheel is adaptedto wind when rotated,

pivoted to the segments so that when they are in open position the bull wheel lies to one side of the segment hinge pivot and a holding line for raising and lowering the entire bucket attached to the corner bars above the bull wheel and on the same side ofthe center of the hinge pivot, so that the bucket segments will be suspended in a substantially horizontal position when sup ported in open position by the holding line.

'8. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a pair of scoop segments, a hinge pivot for joining the segments so that they may be opened and closed, corner bars secured to the outer portions of the segments and pivoted together adjacent their upper ends, a bull wheel connected to the corner bars by a flexible connection up Which .the wheel is adapted to wind when rotated,

pivoted to the segments so that when they are in closed position the bull wheel lies to one side of the segment hinge pivot, and an operating line for rotating the bull wheel and supporting the closed bucket reeved through the corner bars at apoint above the bull wheel and on the same side of the hinge pivot, so that the inner edges of the bucket segments will occupy a substantially vertical plane when the bucket is held suspended in closed position by the operating line.

9. An excavating bucket comprising in combination,a pair of scoop segments pivoted together, corner bars for said segments, and a rotary bull wheel associated with said corner bars and having its'axis removed from the pivotal axis of the segments, one

' of said segments having secured to it a cage 11. An excavating bucket, comprising in combination, a pair of hinged scoop segments adapted to'be moved into open and closed position, corner bars secured to the outer portions of the segments and pivoted together by a single hinge adjacent their upper ends, a bull wheel pivoted to the scoop segments for operating them when rotated, a guide sheave pivoted to the corner bars attached to one scoop segment, a holding line for supporting the entire bucket secured to the same corner bars, and an operating line Wound around the bull wheel and upwardly over the guide sheave for operating the bull wheel. c c

12. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a pair of scoop segments, a hinge pivot for joining the segments so that they may be opened andclosed, corner bars secured to the outer portions of the segments and pivoted together adjacent their upper ends and to one side of the. vertical plane cutting the hinge pivot, and a bull wheel, connected to the corner bar pivot by a flexible connection, up which it is adapted to wind when rotated, pivoted to the scoop segments.

13. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a pair of scoop segments pivoted together, corner bars for said segments, a rotary bull wheel having its axis removed from the pivotal axis of the segments, and an operating line passing through said corner bars to said bull wheel, one of said segments having secured to it a cage within which the bull Wheel is mounted, said cage serving as a segment stiifening member and constituting a guard means for the line and the bull wheel.

14. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a pair of scoop segments pivoted together for operative opening. and closing movement, a bull wheel, means asso ciated therewith for operating the segments, one of said segments integrally provided withprojections carrying a bull wheel shaft positioned remote from the pivotal axis of the segment, and a cage for said bull wheel secured to and serving as a stiffening means for the projections.

WILLIAM M. VENABLE. 

